Vehicle running-gear



, (No Model.)A

W. R. MAXWELL. VEHICLE RUNNINGr GENE.

No. 508,894. Patent-ed Nov. 14, 1893.

we NAnoNAL umoanAPHme ccMPANY.-

wAemNaToN. l14 c.

1 cal sectional view taken transversely of the `running gear.

Y tive view of the rear reach coupling.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM E. MAXWELL, on WAKEEIELD, PENNSYLVANIA.

VEHICLE RUNNING-GEAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 508,894, dated.November 1'4, 1893.

Application tied May 27, legs.

Serial No. 475,720. (No model.)

To all whomy it may concern:

. Be it known that I, WILLIAM R. MAXWELL, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at WVakeeld, in the county of Lancaster and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Running-Gear,of which thefollowing is a specification. y

The invention relates to improvements in running gears.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction ofaxles, to'enable the axle spindles to be readily removed when worn andnew ones supplied without detaching other parts.

' A furtherobject of the invention is to prevent ina great measurelateral swinging and swaying, and noise and rattling accompanying suchmovement.

Another object of theinvention is to enable the axle spindles to bereadily adjusted with relation to the body of the axle to bringthem inproper'position. The invention consists in the construction and novelcombination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described,illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in theclaims-hereto appended. Y

In thedrawings-V-Figure 1 is a perspective view of the rear portion of arunning gear embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a verti- Fig. 3 is adetail sectional view illustrating the manner of connecting the rear endof the reach to the rear axle. Fig. 4 is a' detail sectional view of thefront reach coupling. Fig. 5 is a detail pelspec- 1g. is a detailsectional view taken longitudinally of the axle. Fig. 7 is ak similarview taken transversely of the axle. Y

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

1--1 designate similar metal bars, forming the body of an axle andprovided with a central dip or depressed portion and having securedbetween their ends casings 2 for the reception of axle arms 3. The bars1 which maybe of any desirablev construction and form, are slightlycurved between their ends to form the said depression or dip, and theyare secured to the sides of the casings by bolts 4. The arms-3 of theaxle are provided with spindles and have their inner portions or shanksarranged within the casings, and secured detachably therein by nuts5,4arranged on the inner ends of the axle arms which are threaded, vandbearing against the inner ends of the casings. The casings are furthersecured to the ends of the bars 1, by inner and outer clips 6 and 7, andare provided at their sides with longitudinalgshoulders 8 arranged abovethe upper edges ofthe bars 1. The plate of the inner clip 6 has athreadedopening in which is arranged a set screww9, which passes upwardthrough an openingin 'the bottom of the casing and engages the axle armtoforce thel latter upward; andV the axlev arms are forced downward byset screws 10 mounted in the tops of the inner clips, and passingdownward through openings of the casings and engaging the axle arms fromabove. The openings at the inner ends of the easings are verticallyelongated to permit this adjustment; and elastic sleeves or linings 11are arranged aroundthe axle arms and interposed between the same and thecasings to form yielding supports or fulcrums. Each casing is providedwith a depending lug l2, and fulcrumed thereon atits angle is abell-crank shackle 13, which has pivoted or hinged to it an end of asemi-elliptic leaf-spring 14. The bell-crank shackle has one armarranged approximately 'horizontal and forming a loop 15 and engagingthe adjacent casing. The shackles turnen their fulcrum bolts to relievethe s'pring,and in order tol prevent noise and rattling cushions 16v ofrubber or other elastic material are secured in the loops of theshackles. Each loop 15 is provided at its lower edge withfan inwardlyextending lug 17whieh` retains the cushion in proper position.v Thespring 14 extends downward between the bars 1in the space between the`same, and has itsl ends curvedupward and provided with eyes toireceivethe shackle bolts; and it w-illbe-apparent that this construction andarrangement of parts permit a spring of considerable length and strengthto be conveniently employed.

The axle is braced by converging side-bars 18, which take the place ofhounds, and which have their rear ends forming the plates for the outerclips 7. The front ends of the bars 18 are provided with securingplates, which IOC are fastened to opposite sides of areach 19; and thecasings are provided at their outer ends with transverse shoulders 20,located on the upper faces of the casings and forming stops for theouter clips and prevent inward movement of the casings. The reach issecured to the rear axle and a U-shaped coupling 21, which extends belowthe bars l and is secured to the outer sides of the same, and isprovided with a forwardly extending plate 22. The plate 22 is secured tothe upper face of the reach, and the latter has fastened to its lowerface a metal strip or bar 23, the rear end of which is extended beneathand secured to the U-shaped coupling 21. rThe front axle (not shown) isconstructed substantially the sameas the rear axle, and the reach is`coupledth'ereto bya U-shaped coupling 25, which is'p'rovided withparallel rearwardly extending plates 26 having perforatio'ns to receivea coupling bolt '27.

It-will loe-apparent that the axle 'is'capable of permitting its spindleto be readilydetached for VV removal when worn, that new vspindles maybereadily supplied and accurately adjusted, that the construction of-theaxle admitsof anadvantageous arrangement of su pporting-spring,'andthat the hinged link connection between the `casings and the ends oftherspring lis' devoid of noise 'and rattling.

Changesin the form, proportion and the` minor *details of constructionmay be resorted to without departing from the principle orsacricin'g anyof the advantages'of this in- Vention.

WhatI claim is- 1. The combination of an axle provided'wit'hlongitudinal bars spaced apart and forming itsbodyand provided near they*extremities of thel bars with depending lugs, bell-'crank shacklesfulcrumed `on the lugs, and each having one arm depending from the axleand its other arm arranged to engage the same, a supporting springarranged in the space between the bars and extending downward belowthe'axle and hingedly connected with the 'depending arms of theshackles, substantially as described.

v2. The combination of an axlehaving an open 'body-and provided near itsends with dependinglugs, bell-crank shackles fulcrumed onV the lugs, andeach having one arm forming afloop and arranged adjacent to the axleandits other arm depending therefrom, a supporting spring arranged in thespace of the axle and extending below the latter andh'inged'ly'connected to the depending arms of the shackles, and cushionsmounted in the loops of the shackles and engaging the axle to preventnoise and rattling, substantially as described.

3; In an axle, the combination of a casing provided at its top with atransverse shoulder and having at its sides longitudinal shoulders, barsdisposed longitudinally of the axle and forming the body thereof andsecured to the sides of the casing adjacent to the 1ongitudinalshoulders thereof, and clips pass- `ing around the casing and the bars,one of the clips being arranged adjacent to the transverse shoulder,substantially as described.

4. In an axle, the combination of a body, a casing secured thereto, an4axle arm arranged within the casing 'and being of less diameter thanthe interior of the same, adj ustinglscrews mountedat the top landbottom of the'casing and engaging the axlev arm from abovev'a'nd vbelowto regulate the posi-tion'of t'he'same,

and an elastic cushion-interposed between the axle armfand the casingand arrangedwithin the latter and formingva yielding support or fulcrum,substantially as described.

5. In an axle, thefco'mbivnati'on of a body having a casing, an axlevarm of less diameter than the interior of the casing and arrangedtherein, set screws arranged at the ytop and bottom of thecasing andengaging the axle arm from' above and below toadjust thesa'me, andan'elastic lining or sleeve arra'ngediaround the axle arm and interposedbetween the same and the casingand' forming'a `yielding Isupport orfulcrum, substantiallyk as described. 6. In a running gear, thecombination ofan axle provided with longitudinal barsfforming an openbody portion,'a reach,-an`d an inverted U -shaped coupling secured tothe bars and provided with a forwardly extending plate connected to thereach, substantially as described.

7. The combination of an ax-leprovided with Vlongitudinal barsspaced'apart and'forming 1 an open body portion, a reach, and a U-`shaped coupling secured to the sides ofthe bars and provided withrearwardly projecting plates and having a pivot connecting the reach tothe plates, substantially as described.

In testimony that Ir claimy the foregoing as my own I have heretoaffixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM R. MAXWELL. Witnesses:

WM. H. LONG, EMMA W. PETERs.

IOO

